44 Best American Restaurants in Palm Desert

“Watched the Budweiser Clydesdale horses and had a fabulous lunch.“

“Tommy Bahamas hosted my rehearsal dinner for my wedding, a total of 16 adults and 4 children. They went above and beyond. Initially, we were on the outdoor terrace surrounded by other customers. I asked if we could be more secluded since some of the family and guests wanted to say some words. They proceeded to move our entire group to a different section of the terrace for a more private and quiet setting. It was incredibly kind and generous of them to do so. Benjamin, our waiter was also terrific. He was prompt, thorough, and the service we received was unparalleled. The food and drinks, as always, were tremendous, and my wife and I could not be more satisfied. They even gave us a piece of pina colada cake as a celebration! Thank you again to the entire Tommy Bahama staff for a wonderful evening.“

“Excelent food and service. Ray was fantastic!!!“

“Love the matzoh ball soup and the #5“

“We were looking for some tasty breakfast at lunchtime and we found this place on Google with really high reviews so we decided to give it a try. They are only open for breakfast and lunch, close at 2, fyi.

When we walked in it gave off the old school diner vibe which we like! We were greeted right away and let them know we wanted take out. We sat at the bar and chatted with them while deciding what to order. Such friendly and accommodating staff! We are staying in a hotel so they made sure to provide us with all of the condiments and things we needed to take our meal back.

I ordered the Monte Cristo and it was divine! It was our favorite out of everything because it was packed with flavor and they were these cute little mini sandwich bites we could all share. My parents got the eggs and hash browns and really enjoyed a nice, simple home cooked meal. My daughter got the grilled cheese and fries and she thought the cheese was a bit too much, but otherwise she really enjoyed it.

They also had pies in a pie display and these awesome looking cinnamon rolls. We visit the desert often and will be adding this place to our regular rotation! Family friendly, lots of food options at an affordable price and free parking! We will take it! Check it out next time you are in Palm Desert!“

“This was the best Peruvian food hands down made by Peruvians so the taste was authentic with authentic ingredients. My wife and I met the chef and she’s so passionate about her food and was very friendly. Think it may have been family working there every one was so polite and friendly engaged in conversation about Peru. My wife and I had the lomo saltado and I had to get the ceviche con chicharron it was absolutely delicious. We usually make stops throughout the places we visit to try the Peruvian food and this is it. The ceviche was fresh and had all the authentic ingredients it’s like if we were sitting in Peru eating. This is going to be our go to spot when visiting the area.“

“Go there. Eat there. The Gluten Free bread option with my meat lover's scramble was tasty and better than most bland options. Our delightful server, Jennifer, said it was from a local bakery. Sat outside and were fully shaded from the sun. Nice relaxed atmosphere and even the bathroom was a relaxing space. Good way to end our weekend before heading back home. (Bonus: there's a Comic Book shop just across the parking lot).“

“great value, friendly service.“

“Great food, nice presentation, attentive service, we’ll be back.“

“A Palm Desert Classic! A great bar and grill with high quality food and lively atmosphere. I had the most expensive Lamb Chops ever at $75! But they were magnificent! The prime rib is very tender and melts in your mouth. Expect to spend a couple of hundred bucks on a lovely meal. Next time I think I’ll try the ribs. I know those are only $44. Great place for special occasions and the bar is a great place for older seniors to pick up a date.“

“Great burger and French fries“

“Great food! Great atmosphere!“

“Great ambiance and the burger and the salmon salad is good“

“We came on a pretty busy holiday weekend but we're super impressed. Everyone on staff worked hard to offer an exceptional experience to the guest, and that's exactly what we got. The food came out fast and everything tasted great. The drinks by Hunter awesome. Dana the manager was busy and still took time to greet us and make sure we were satisfied. We were, thus highly recommend this Islands for a casual, comfortable dining experience.“

“We had such amazing service today at this Denny's. Cenisa R is "THEE MOST AMAZING SERVER" She was so professional and on top of everything including refilling our drinks. Cenisa is a wonderful young lady, fantastic personality and service. Denny's should be very proud to have someone of this quality working for them. GOOD JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!“

“Great food and service. Wine overpriced.“

“This us our go-to spot in Palm Desert. We have not been since Dec 2022 but are returning for Christmas and we cannot wait to visit!! We are bringing two friends that have never been! We cannot wait to meet the new owner and check out the vibe! Plus, of course, have the food and drinks which were always amazing.“

“We have been to Boulevards 3 or 4 times for dinner, each time it was a great experience; service, food, and ambiance way above par...however, we had lunch for the first time a week ago this past Friday with 7 other people. While the service was good, the food was subpar...I had a professional LA Chef with us, who did not say a word, but neither he or his wife ate their lunches and I know them well enough to know they did not like it...I ordered chili, it was not very good and was luke warm, but the server took it immediately and warmed it. My partner ordered a club sandwich, it too was subpar, and another friend also ordered chili and felt as I did. While the others in the party were grandkids, the one salad looked like a bowl filled with lettuce thrown together, and not much thought at that, one had a sandwich and I looked at that, it too looked awful, and my one grandson said his lunch was good...I do not remember what he had. For a place that has no kids menu and prices are steep, everything should be served professionally. ALSO...I was in the restaurant business in LA and NYC for over 25 years and it is 2024 and time for Boulevards to have a voice mail instead of a message that askes the customer to call back when they cant answer the phone as they "are serving other customers" The customer should not have to keep calling back. By the way, I just called to make reservations for this coming Tues nite, 4 times over a 15 - 20 minute period, and each time I got this same message. We really like Boulevards for dinner, but as with all restaurants, and included my own, there is always room for improvement!“

“Order up front like fast food, then they deliver to your booth. But it's not fast food, bro! HUGE menu. Delicious!!

Wheelchair accessibility: Parking was several spots away, with a pretty narrow piece of sidewalk to navigate. Things would have had to be moved to get through the women's bathroom door.“

“Favorite local cafe with Live Bands and dancing under the stars. Eat outside shaded by pergola with views of mountains, greens, palm trees, fire pits - no traffic noise, no parking lots to stare at. Great lunch and happy hour with dinner on the weekend and holidays. Hidden Gem!“

“We had a wonderful evening and meal. The service was amazing. We got to sit by the water. We took our server's recommendations which did not deceive.

Appetizers... Caprese Salad and Bacon Wrapped California Dates
Main Courses... Canadian Skuna Bay Salmon and Wild-Caught Sea Scallops Dessert...
Sticky Toffee Pudding“

“We enjoyed seeing a wide variety of animals and learning how the natural climate zones of many of the animals are similar to that of the Southern California desert. We understand we were here in the off season, but it would have been nice to have encountered a few more zoo staff or volunteers for information along the way.“

“While staying here we went to the main pool and enjoyed the water to include the lunch that was available. Sometimes we split the lunch between us and some time got individual for partial take back to lodging Great place to stay, food was presented and tasted very good. Service was excellent and you have a full service bar here also. They also serve poolside food and drinks“

“I had the pleasure of visiting Canyons this evening.The Kobe burger was a great option-the burger ? is tasty, piled high with all of the fixings and a bun with sauce!The pretzel bread - my first time ever trying that - was warm, soft, and tasted jut like a pretzel!“

“Woodhaven has a band Hotwyre who is the best band. Love their tune & set list. Lots of dancing to iconic rock n roll!“

“My husband and I stayed at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in Palm Desert. We were there for 3 nights and 4 days. It was more than I expected. The breakfast was great, you actually had real breakfast items. Not just a continental breakfast. The 5:30 to 7:30 free drinks was awesome! And the dinner was great!“

“The food was excellent, and our server worked very hard at making a memorable experience for us. There is no doubt that the music was a bit on the loud side and therefore resulted in it being very difficult to talk at the table. I would certainly recommend sitting out on the patio on nights. They have music“

“Literally a quaint Little Bar in the heart of Palm Desert. Great drinks and a welcoming atmosphere with a down home menu. A touch of the LA music scene is the desert. The burgers are awesome!“

“Chef Michael and staff did an outstanding job catering our outdoor celebration. The Mexican buffet spread was unbelievable and all of our guests had rave reviews. 5 stars from beginning to end!“

“Love the Chilaquiles and the protein pancakes. Great service of Lucia �“

“Great service should be tops on their list of reasons to come here. Tracy is the best!“

“Great service! The King Mushroom burger with 4 different mushrooms was the best! Will stop in when passing through Palm Springs.“

“A really great restaurant! The atmosphere is cozy, like a classic diner, perfect for feeling good. The service was super quick, extremely friendly and attentive. The food is typically American – tasty and in good portions. The prices are absolutely affordable. If you're in the area, you should definitely stop by here. Clear recommendation! 🍔🍟🥩“

“Incredible food and wonderful service“

“Not shiny & new outside or inside, old school diner. You have the option to sit at a table or at the long counter, we chose the counter. Staff were friendly and happy to answer questions about the menu. 3 of us ordered sandwiches (pulled pork, tuna salad, cold meatloaf) and milkshakes. Large portions and tasty. Our 4th had breakfast, he was very happy with the portion and quality.“

“Great service and great food! Every salad on the menu is amazing“

“I love going there for the atmosphere and the food and I like. To take a friend or family when I do.

Parking: Stuff pizza is at the mall?So there's plenty of park

Kid-friendliness: We've taken my granddaughter there. I've seen other people take their kids there, so definitely friendly“

“Thanksgiving dinner again was exceptional. The greeting on arrival, the incredible menu, amazing service deliver a five star experience every visit. The outdoor dining creates a unique ambiance and if you want the best in fine dining..Jillian's is outstanding.“

“Atmosphere, servers and food were great! The setting was somewhat cramped, but overall this is a good place to grab a bite and and a drink while relaxing at a table or at the bar and watching sports. When I came in with my party, the bartender, Jeremiah, promptly gave us the option of moving to the bar after a group that included children came in and sat down right next to us.

Kid-friendliness: Kids are welcome.“

“Our 60's rock band Woody & The Retros play at PDCC, and we love the vibe, people and patio. Come see us and dance to the Feel Good Sounds of the Swingin' 60's. 💃🕺For booking contact Woody Retro. Thanks to Robert Pescador for bringing us back each season. We truly appreciate the opportunity. We hope to see YOU on the dance floor!“

“Concise Review Great poolside food, drinks, & staff ----- Longer Review We have visited Marriott’s Shadow Ridge in Palm Desert since 2002, and afternoons at the pool, with food and drinks from Chuckwalla Bar & Grill, are a bit part of every trip. One of my all time favorite photos is from a nice afternoon, poolside, several years ago when the kids were little... it was one of our most fun and peaceful afternoons as a family anywhere... the photos is of our daughter, asleep on my wonderful wife, my wonderful wife smiling at me, and our son was on the chair in between us, smiling as he was drinking a strawberry smoothie from Chuckwalla’s... such a blessing. We visited Southern California - Palm Desert, Yucaipa, and Malibu - for Spring Break 2021. This trip we had more activities off-property than usual, so we only got one nice long afternoon at the pool, and RebekahM made it a little extra special. The sun, the water, fun in the pool... and smoothies... such a joy. Before I had a chance to think about it, smoothies were en route from Chuckwalla... strawberry, banana, and alcohol-free pina colada. Rebekah delivered them to us with a big smile and infectiously positive attitude. Rebekah turned the fun up a notch with her dancing and smiling and laughing as she took our orders and delivered to the families around the pool... everyone was extra happy when she was around. Thank you, Rebekah and Chuckwalla, for another memorable trip! ----- ----- -----“

“Great place to hang out. I like the Bloody Mary bar on Sundays.“

“Would prefer table service versus ordering at counter.“

“A take out order today had one "glitch," so I wondered if J's was slipping again. I called the restaurant and talked to the person who had sent the order out. She apologized and said there would be a credit on my next order either delivery or in the restaurant. But almost immediately, Jay, the owner, sent me an email apology increasing the credit (double the cost of the item) and saying he was sorry for the error and disappointing me. That prompt and responsive action on the part of the owner counts. Things go wrong with any restaurant or any business. I learned long ago as a customer - and as a consultant to the top execs at Fortune 500 companies - that the true measure of a company isn't how they act when things are going well (that's easy) but rather how they handle it when things go awry. Jay handled the minor mistake in my order with professionalism, responsiveness, promptness, and kindness. The order was on time, packaged perfectly, and the key thing, great food. As I said in the past, there was a period in which I saw some problems at J's, but for a while now, I have seen nothing but great food, good service, and attention to the customer. I hope others go to J's and find the same.“